David JoblingPriscilla Queen Of The Desert | The Musical
November 17th 2008 08:00
Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical
Lyric Theatre, Star City Casino, Sydney, Australia.
Director: Simon Phillips
Musical Arrangements, Direction and Supervision: Stephen ‘Spud’ Murphy
Choreography: Ross Coleman
Friday, 31st October, 2008
This is a revised production of the stage musical Pricilla, Queen of the Desert The Musical and a credit to the whole team.
The central story is about three drag queens escaping the harsh city of Sydney in a bus christened Pricilla to perform a show in a casino in the middle of The Australian desert. They think they know what to expect from such a harsh expedition but nothing could have prepared them for what transpires.
As many people would know the musical was borne out of the Academy Award winning film of the same name which premiered in 1994. Ten years later the rights were secured to produce the show as a musical, in January 2006 rehearsed readings began and the production opened at the Lyric Theatre, Star City, in October, 2006, a remarkably short period for such a full scale theatrical musical. The show has a cast of 32, a live band, 23 tones of sets and lighting, 514 costumes, 55 wigs, 150 pairs of shoes, and 200 headdresses.
The costume design has been revisited by the award winning team from the film Lizzy Gardner and Tim Chappel. On this production their budget went from AU$15,000 for the film to AUS$1.5 million and they have produced exciting costume designs. Using icons like thongs, cup cakes, and Gumby, and inspired by other artists such as Fellini, they have combined their talent, the Australian flora and fauna, and the outrageous concepts of trash drag into a visual extravaganza that is an integral part of the production.
Musically the show is a pastiche of diverse genres, most notably disco, pop, opera, and country (and western, that is), as well as the orchestrations written for the show itself. The Music Direction is undertaken by Helpmann Award winner for Best Musical Direction of Dusty, Stephen ‘Spud’ Murphy. Spud Murphy is a stalwart of the Australian music and music theatre industries and has contributed his talent to international artists such as Marlene Dietrich, our own legendary talent Reg Livermore, and for the shows Godspell, Dusty, Buddy, and Shout!, to name a few; he has also contributed to the Australian television and film industries. The 20 full-scale musical numbers drive the show along with the drama deriving pathos from the excellently crafted placement of familiar songs.
A major part of the new show is the updated choreography by Ross Coleman. Coleman’s first major engagement was the original Australian production of Grease in 1972. He has worked for both the Sydney and Melbourne Theatre companies, choreographed for various other producers on shows such as Side By Side By Sondheim, The Rocky Horror Show, Cabaret, Funny Girl, Naked Boys Singing, and Dusty - for which he received a 2006 Helpmann Award for Best Choreography. In Pricilla he has taken the ensembles contribution from a well rehearsed movement piece, in the last production, to a snappy, up tempo, lavishly salacious dance troupe that perform acutely intense routines. His contribution is remarkably exhilarating.
The shows director is Dean Bryant whose recent credits include Virgins: A Musical Threesome and The Last Five Years; he also co-wrote the musical Prodigal, which became the first Australian musical to be produced off-Broadway, at the York Theatre Company and has worked on other musicals namely The People in Your Pocket, Jumpin’ the Q, The Virgin Wars, and Once We Lived Here. Bryant's’ direction has coalesced the salient visions of the teams of talent into a monumental extravaganza.
Of course with such a huge production there are a multitude of talents that bring it together and they all deserve accolades in this instance. People such as Phillip Scott – Script Consultant; David Skelton – Associate Musical Director and Conductor; Andrew Hallsworth – Associate Choreographer; Nick Schlieper – Lighting Design; Michael Waters – Sound Design; Cassie Hanlon – Make-up Design; Cass Jones – Technical Director; and Brian Thompson – Production Design. All world class talents.
The on-stage performers are also world class. In the role of Bernadette is Australian theatrical legend in his own right Tony Sheldon, who has received many awards for his portrayal of this pivotal character including a 2007 Green Room Award and Mo Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He has been working on the production in the role since it’s beginning in 2006 when it was at the workshop stage. He inhabits Bernadette completely, he plumbs the depths of her experience and takes you into her world and induces you to want the best for her.
Todd McKenny as Tick (Mitzi) is the central character around which the whole journey revolves. Todd is well known as the judge on TV’s Dancing With The Stars, and for his impressive portrayal of Peter Allen in the critically acclaimed Australian musical The Boy from Oz; for which he received two Mo Awards, The Variety Club Heart Award, the Glugg Award, the Green Room Award, the Australian Dance Award, and the Helpmann Award. He has also performed in numerous productions of classic musicals with Pirates of Penzance, Camelot, La Cage Aux Folles, Cats, and 42nd Street among them. Todd takes over the role of Tick from past performers and holds the mantle high. He gives Tick a pleasant mix of masculine demure and classic hard edged drag queen flair that eeks pathos, he sings and dances with expressive flair.
Adam (Felicia) is played by Daniel Scott who secured the title role in Shout!, performed in international tours of Cats, and created several one man shows namely Give Us A Break, Ikonika, and The Sweet and Low Down. He has appeared in the film and television productions The Wizard of Solmar, Young Lions, and Moulin Rouge. He realises the impetuous nature of Adam astutely and gives the character all the hardcore edge he can muster. Adam is the catalyst for much of the folly that befalls the trio on the road and Daniel revels in the role, he has a good command of the demanding choreography and vocals required to bring Felicia to life.
The three main characters are magnificently portrayed by these exceptional theatre artists and are supported by a first class ensemble that make Pricilla the Musical a great night’s entertainment. The Three Divas, Sophie Carter, Josie Lane, and Miss Min are a veritable virtuosic powerhouse of sound. Their singing holds the show together and they do most of it six metres in the air in tight harnesses swinging in, out, and around without missing a beat. Bill Hunter reprises his role of Bob from the film and is a crowd favourite, he also does a fine job of singing A Fine Romance. Collette Mann is delightful as the big busted back-water bar mamma, Shirley, for which she received a 2008 Helpmann nomination for Best Female in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Lena Cruz as Cynthia, Bob’s outrageous show girl wife, is delicious. The rest of the ensemble is pure quality. They blast their way all over the stage creating various tableau vivant and masterfully executing Coleman’s exciting choreography.
This current production of Pricilla Queen of the Desert The Musical is more up-beat and exhilarating and, I believe, is ready to conquer the world!
Peter McGill.
Performance Schedule:
Monday: no show
Tuesday: 8 p.m.
Wednesday: 1 & 8 p.m.
Thursday: 8 p.m.
Friday: 8 p.m.
Saturday: 2 & 8 p.m.
Sunday: 5 p.m.
(Subject to change. Check specific times around public holidays)
$79.00 November Midweek Tickets – enquire at ticketing outlets for general ticket pricing.
The 80-member company of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical has shimmied into Sydney for a strictly limited farewell season at the Lyric Theatre, Star City.
Priscilla has already been seen by more than a million Australians and grossed in excess of AUD$90 million at the box office. It will make its London début in March 2009 and its North American début in Toronto in late 2009.
Since making its world premiere in Sydney on 7 October 2006, Priscilla has gone on to become the most successful Australian musical of all time. After playing almost a year in Sydney, the show then transferred to Melbourne wowing both audiences and critics alike and collected six Green Room Awards including Best Music Theatre Production. It has most recently enjoyed a sell-out season in Auckland.
Further productions are being considered for Scandinavia, Germany, South Africa, Brazil, Italy, France and Japan.
Theatrical legend Tony Sheldon reprises his award-winning role as Bernadette for the 12 week Sydney season before mainlining the West End production early next year. Everybody’s favourite Daniel Scott also returns to the Lyric stage as the feisty Felicia. And joining them for the first time in the now famous journey into the heart of Australia is one of the nation’s finest music theatre performers and current Dancing with the Stars judge, Todd McKenney, who will play the role of Tick (made famous by Hugo Weaving in the original film).
Also new to this Sydney season is Colette Mann who will play Shirley, the battle-axe pub owner of Broken Hill with the worst mullet in Australia. Mann is one of Australia's best-loved actors who has appeared in film, television and on stage. Michael Linder will take on the role of Miss Understanding, the Sydney drag queen who does Tina Turner almost better than the real thing. While the powerhouse singing trio The Divas, who perform suspended six metres above the stage, have two new members Josie Lane and Miss Min joining original diva Sophie Carter.
Priscilla features 20 full-scale production numbers including the disco classics I Will Survive, Shake Your Groove Thing and Finally, more than 500 spectacular costumes, 200 gravity-defying headdresses, 23 tonnes of scenery and, as its dazzling centerpiece, a six-tonne 10-metre long custom made bus named “Priscilla”.
Performance Schedule
Monday – No Show
Tuesday – 8pm
Wednesday – 1pm and 8pm
Thursday – 8pm
Friday – 8pm
Saturday – 2pm and 8pm
Sunday – 5pm
(Subject to change. Check specific times around public holidays)
Prices
$69 October Midweek Tickets
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - 8pm
A Reserve $99.90* B Reserve $84.90*
Friday, Saturday, Sunday - all performances
A Reserve $109.90* B Reserve $94.90*
Wednesday - 1pm only
A Reserve $84.90* B Reserve $74.90*
*Price includes GST and booking fee. Transaction fees apply to phone, internet and outlet bookings. All prices subject to change.
Booking
TICKETMASTER
Visit an outlet or call 1300 795 267
Gift certificates available
Prices
$79 November Midweek Tickets *
(* offer includes one 'best available ticket ' subject to availability. Transaction fees may apply. Offer valid Tues, Wed, Thurs at 8pm and Wed 1pm performances in November only)
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - 8pm
A Reserve $99.90* B Reserve $84.90*
Friday, Saturday, Sunday - all performances
A Reserve $109.90* B Reserve $94.90*
Wednesday - 1pm only
A Reserve $84.90* B Reserve $74.90*
*Price includes GST and booking fee. Transaction fees apply to phone, internet and outlet bookings. All prices subject to change.
Booking
TICKETMASTER
Visit an outlet or call 1300 795 267
Gift certificates available
NEW TICKETS ON SALE 9AM MONDAY
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